WHIPLASH: There's nothing beautiful about racism

Miss America 2014 Nina Davuluri put it best when she noted, "the girl next door is evolving".

The Miss America beauty pageant brought to the fore the ugly side of the American mindset. Racist tweets referred to Indo-American beauty Nina Davuluri, who made history when she was crowned Miss America, as 'terrorist' and 'Miss al-Qaeda'.

While Nina responded to the remarks made on her origin with a smile, all those who thought that racism was long dead woke up with the disheartening realisation that the liberal American mind still demarcates on the basis of colour, creed and nationality.

The world's most powerful country, which
elected a mixed-race president, has a closed mindset and aims its barbs
at a young girl.

If the world thought that the
American fear of the Indians and the Chinese was restricted to Barack
Obama's phobia of being 'Bangalored', the distasteful tweets on Nina's
achievement were a rude awakening.

The truth is far different from the perception in the US society about immigrants. The Americans should know that it's young US 'natives' who top the list of school and college dropouts. while US citizens of Indian, Chinese and African origin are achieving top positions as academicians, lawyers, techies, doctors and writers.

And anyway, who said America is the land of whites? It is the land of opportunity for all mankind. The racists may not like it, but their slur against Nina has done more good than harm.

While no one really remembers the name of Miss America crowned last year, the gorgeous Nina has emerged as a worldwide icon. Using the ugly remarks to her advantage, Nina is now on every prominent US channel, laughing off the racial remarks.

During the Q&A session at the pageant, Nina had made a pertinent comment: "The girl next door is evolving."